Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Florida rippers Crisis Unit return with a 3 song promo tape of fast and angry hardcore punk in the vein of bands such as American Nightmare, Carry On and Panic. This 3 song promo tape serves as a preview for their upcoming 7 inch that will be dropping sometime between spring and summer next year. The band will have physical copies of the tape available at FYA Fest in Tampa, Florida this weekend, which you can check out the info for below. Highly recommended for fans of the aforementioned bands, you can download the release above and also stream the release via bandcamp below.

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Preorder copies of the 7" are sold out, more copies will be available on the Bad Teeth Recordings webstore soon. Also, I (Wayne) currently have 8x10's of Full Of Hell available on my personal webstore, snag one up if that's your cup of tea!

Sunday, December 6, 2015

Another year is coming to a close, as always we'll be throwing down our staff picks for "Best Of 2015". As was the theme in every year past, these are 100% opinion based, so don't stomp your feet and whine if some of your favorite releases of the year aren't listed. Thank you for supporting Toxicbreed's Funhouse for yet another great year. If all goes as planned, 2016 will bring more physical releases and more of the same old downloads/reviews/interviews you've grown to either love or hate.

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Hey Joey, thanks again for taking the time to do this interview. For our readers who may be out of the loop, could you tell us a little bit about yourself and what bands you are involved with?

My name is actually Jose, but most people call me Joey, trying to go by Jose though. As for bands I am in, I play guitar in Gag, Mongrel and Lower Species. I play Drums in Eightball, Combat Knife and Love Interest. I play Bass in Stand Up and I sing In white Wards. Working on a few other projects too that don’t have names or full line ups yet.

Gag is about to head out on a two and a half week East Coast tour in support of your new full length "America's Greatest Hits", could you tell us a little bit about the new album and when we can expect to see physical copies available?

I am super excited this is finally happening. the real deal Lp will be out in Dec/Jan probably but we will have a tour version available on that east coast tour. It's been a long journey trying to figure out that lp on account of all the other stuff we do and some members live in different cities. half of it was wrote in 2013 and the other half in 2015. I hope people will like it, I think it sounds like a mix of the 40oz rule 90’ 7-inch and our demo, driving and hard.

This upcoming tour lands as your second time visiting the East Coast (to my knowledge). What cities are you most excited to be playing and are there any cities you’re playing that you’ve never visited before (via touring or just visiting)?

We actually haven't played most of the east coast because our van broke down on our full US. Collectively GAG is super excited to go to Miami and DC. We have played and hung with a ton of DC heads the last year so just to see the homies will be sick. Miami because it's fuckin Miami homie! Will Smith wrote a song about it, so chill.

America's Greatest Hits lands as your second release through Iron Lung Records. How has it been working with Jensen and Jon on the label side of things?

Jensen and Jon are the real deal down for whatever homies. Jensen and I are in a band together and White Wards has put out two records with him so we have been friends for a while and know how each other work. Iron Lung are really supportive in what we want for our band and if they think something is bullshit they won’t hesitate to say. I love that about them.

Okay, I gotta ask you to talk about this because the story is insane to me and I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see how fucked up Adam was in person. Could you tell our readers about the Bridge incident prior to Resurrect Cali Fest in NorCal? Also, how is his recovery going since the accident happened?

I can't even really speak on it, haha. he never explained what happened just that he was drunk and fell off a bridge onto his back. he thought he cracked a few ribs but it turns out he broke his back and fucked up some cartilage. He's doing a lot better but damn that weekend was rough as hell. Sorry about that Gilman.

Now onto your other guitar based rock band, White Wards. Do you feel the writing process for White Wards is a bit easier for you since the project has been your baby since 2009?

Honestly, no. That band has changed so much and I don't even remember the last time i wrote a song for White Wards. I mostly just write lyrics now which is cool with me because I am the main songwriter in a few of my other bands.

White Wards recorded their newest full length with Jake Dudley, how was working with Jake and that recording session process?

Jake is family! Man honestly the Bay in general is like Olive Garden.

Jake did the art for both the first 7-inch and the Cig Burns LP. We have been gigging with Jake for years and at this point for how much he has done for White Wards he basically is the sixth member. If he moved to the PNW he would definitely be in White Wards, that’s the big homie.

During the White Wards set at the fest I remember you being extremely vocal about individuals taking the time to visit domestic violence information table that was set up across from 924 Gilman and to help out if possible, which is leading to my next question. What programs/problems would you like to see individuals take more initiative in being involved with/taking down?

It was cool to see that domestic abuse Table outside and it really inspired me to say something because i have lived in a family that had to deal with domestic abuse and it is awful and ruins family’s. Unfortunately found out after the fact that someone who had a part in booking that fest was beating his partner.
it's fucking absurd and so enraging to hear about that happening in the punk scene. I shouldn't have to say it but DON'T FUCKING ABUSE YOUR PARTNER. This Includes but is not limited to physical violence, emotional abuse, manipulation or public humiliation. No one should have to beg you to be a better person.

The next two questions are going to be a bit similar. First off, what are your Top 5 "Must Hear" Hardcore/Punk albums from the Northwest for someone who may be completely oblivious to what has been produced up there?

Top five PNW records

Poison Idea- Pick Your King

Cold Sweat- Severed Ties

Brotherhood- No Tolerance For Ignorance

Melvins- Houdini/Glooey Porch Treatments

Jimi Hendrix- Are You Experienced (c’mon)

Recent Top Five PNW records (not including me)

Society Nurse- Junk Exsistence

Odd Man Out- Demo

Bricklayer- LP (out soon)

Walls- 12ep

Nudes- Sister ep

Secondly, what are your Top 5 Hardcore/Punk albums of all time?

This is best I could do off top but still pretty accurate for me

Top Five (only) Hardcore/Punk Records

SSD - Get it Away

Rudimentary Peni- Death Church

Madball - Ball of Destruction

Ramones- Rocket to Russia

Negative Approach - NA ep

So if you guys don’t reach Rob Zombie status by the time you hit the age of 28, where are you guys headed?

I got a few more years so hopefully I don’t have to change my trajectory. Really holding out for Rob Zombie though.

What’s to be expected from you and your musical projects, Winter 2015 and beyond? Can we expect new White Wards and Eightball material?

White Wards is writing another LP so look out for that in 2017 probably haha. Eightball will have a demo in November and a 7-inch on Warthog Speak in 2016. Stand up will also have a demo in November. Lower Species is recording on Nov 1st so please keep your eyes peeled for that, thats my baby. Mongrel is gonna record an ep soonish. Love Interest will record the LP we have had written for over two years eventually. Combat Knife has an LP coming out on Video Disease and SchizoidUnit. Gag has a full length on Iron Lung Coming soon, a 12ep on Triple B records and a Compilation of the demo, 40oz ep, Rob Zombie 12ep and the flexi.
Gag and Combat Knife are doing a full west coast, midwest and mexican tour.
Possible tour plans for Eightball as well.

What’s the best Obituary album to air riff to?

My man! World fuckin Demise, homie. Straight up groove oriented pit riffs.
Close second is the Live Album “Dead”, songs from the first four records all the bangers no bullshit.

Now for the most important question of the interview. Who is the most "Traditionally Handsome" member of Red Scare? Casey or Waylon?

Damn. Hard to answer because both are so handsome. if we are talking just looks I'll say Waylon because his blonde locks scream heart throb. I think Casey would be a much more attentive partner though and he replies to the Triple T more often but Waylon is in Lower Species.

Any last words? Special active guitar based rock bands you’d like to give some love?

I probably already said too much but, everyone go checkout Gatecreeper, Red Scare, Lock, Scalped, Profile, Odd Man Out, Bricklayer, Nudes, Vexx, Fury, Response and Freedom. Shout outs to my my dawgs Tony Molina for holding down the guitar in a way i never could, Allen and Jeremy for being an inspiration on the skins, my number one bros J Caff, KJ and meatball for keeping me positive and holding me down. Last but not least UNITTTY .

Sunday, October 4, 2015

Ramses are a new heavy/metallic hardcore band from Tampa, Florida. With a sound you could compare to early Damnation A.D. and Disembodied as well as Hatebreed's early work, this band brings about a great sense of urgency and despair in these initial demo recordings that channels the parts of the aforementioned bands that made them as noted as they are. These intial recordings show a lot of promise to come in the future and stand alone as a very solid demo as well. If you are a fan of any of the aforementioned bands or heavy hardcore in general, I highly recommend checking this out and giving it a listen. You can download Ramses demo from the link above and you can also stream the entire release via bandcamp below.

Monday, September 7, 2015

If you’re a fan of Toxicbreed’s Funhouse you probably know
who the band Old Wounds is. Whether it’s from listening to the music posted
here, reading our review on their debut LP, or just seeing Toxicbreed post
about their tour schedules; you know the name for a reason. Old Wounds is a
monster of a band and has made a name for themselves in a relatively short
amount of time. I decided to write up this interview for TBFH because I
personally wanted to know more about them, while also wanting to help push the band
in anyway that I can, and I had a feeling the information shared might be
fascinating for our readers.

--

Toxicbreed’s Funhouse: Just to kick off things, what is your
name and what do you do in the band?

Old Wounds: My name is Michael and I whip the bass around in
Old Wounds.

TBFH: As I’m writing these questions, you guys are on the
west coast in the middle of your “Summer of Suffering” tour. How has that been
going for you guys?

OW: This tour was very likely the best one we'd ever done.
All of the shows were great. We had a couple of good sleepovers with our
friends in Axis and Of Feather And Bone. We went pretty hard on Taco Bell for
the first two weeks. We'd go once, sometimes twice a day. I hate to say it, but
that was a mistake. There was even a donut/Roman candle war between our van and
Axis' while we were driving through the mountains in Oregon. Yeah, it was a
good summer.

TBFH: On different legs of this tour, you have had some
fantastic supporting bands, like your label mates in Axis and Of Feather and
Bone. How has touring with those two bands been?

OW: We were a bit familiar with Axis' music, but didn't know
those guys prior to the tour. Needless to say, we clicked almost instantly.
They're a bunch of hilarious, honest, and hard working people. Also, their band
absolutely rips. It's always great to be on tour with a band you want to see
play every night. Of Feather and Bone and Old Wounds go back a bit and it's
always such a great pleasure to be around them. They're another phenomenal band,
musically and as human beings. For the week that all three band's legs of the
tour overlapped- damn. You couldn't beat the crew we had.

TBFH: Since this tour is basically the album release tour
for your new record “The Suffering Spirit”, how has the reception live been to
the new songs? How about the reception of the songs elsewhere? Does your family
like it?

OW: I don't think anyone in my family has heard the new
record and that's ok. When we initially premiered a couple of new songs online
the response was quite loud and positive. But that by no means prepared me for
the response those songs would get when we would play them live for the first
time. And it was crazy, to me at least. Not like a sold out, 500 cap room
crazy, but we'd be on the complete opposite side of the country and there were
usually a handful of kids who'd be singing the words to songs from a record
that hadn't been out for even two months at that point by a hardcore band that,
I assume, a couple people are aware of. There were multiple times when someone
would request we play "Moral Hex". That's a song I hold pretty close
to me, and writing the last half of that one in our practice space was always
an emotional event internally. So to hear that someone else really likes that
song makes me feel a very unique joy.

TBFH: The new record, as well as your last EP and split EP
with The Banner, came out on Good Fight Music. How did that relationship come
about? How have they treated you?

OW: Well, after we recorded "Death Projection" in
March of 2014 we sat on it for a few months while looking for a label to put it
out. It wasn't the easiest thing. I guess at that time of the year most labels
are already booked with their releases for the rest of the year, so to squeeze
something new in wouldn't be the most convenient thing for them to do, what
with their established schedules and all. I don't remember exactly if Good
Fight approached us or vice versa, but in any case, they were looking to grow
their roster a bit more and take on new bands. Rick and Carl, the two gentlemen
who run the label, liked our music, what we had accomplished already, and what
future goals we wanted to set for ourselves. The rest is history. We could not
have asked for a better label. They are completely no bullshit, all hard work.
We consider each others ideas and words with respect. Our working relationship
is solid and on top of that, we've become rather close. It's such a privilege
to stand side by side with Good Fight.

TBFH: Old Wounds has fairly extensive release catalog
considering how long you have been a band. It seems you guys are not a band to
rest of the success of one record too long, are you guys planning anything for
your next release or is it too early to be thinking about writing?

OW: I remember right after we recorded, but before the
record was released, Zak and I were hanging out on a porch in Richmond and we
started to talk about the third full length. I think we caught ourselves midway
through the conversation and agreed that we'll return to it when it's time. It
was weird talking about new music so soon. I think it's best that we just play
shows for a while and when the time comes around that it feels right to start
working on the next batch of songs, we'll get deal with all of that then.
There's no rush.

TBFH: This is less of a question and more of a statement.
But, speaking of your past releases, right before the release of “The Suffering
Spirit” you released a split with fellow New Jersey band The Banner. This EP
was somewhat swept under the rug with the release of the new record, but I just
wanted to say I greatly enjoyed it, as it was a fantastic taste of what was to
come with the new record.

OW: That was more or less a small fun 7" we had the
opportunity to do with our friends. I think it got a fair amount of attention
for a one time, 500 unit pressing. I'm glad you liked it. The Banner's side is
nuts.

TBFH: I’m not sure if it is too widely known or not, but
your drummer Brandon does most of the fantastic artwork associated with the
band including your album art. Was this a conscious choice or was it simply
convenience?

OW: Probably more of the former and some of the latter.
Brandon does the majority of our merch designs and all of the layout work for
our records. He absolutely has an eye for what the band is in terms of
displaying its art visually. He does incredible stuff and it's been very cool
to watch him develop his own style over the years. I'm not sure I've ever told
him this in the six years that I've known him. Probably because I'm an introverted
piece of trash.

TBFH: Old Wounds is touring quite a lot around the country
throughout the year. Does the band still mainly use a DIY approach, use a
official booking agency, or a mix of both?

OW: We still do a fair amount of booking ourselves, but here
and there we've been working with booking agents.

TBFH: How has touring changed for you guys since the
beginning of the band? Is it easier to do or is it still the same grind?

OW: It's always the same grind, but you get better at doing
it. Once you've done it enough times, you figure out how to pack your personal
belongings and the van more efficiently. You discover little tricks to save
money, like asking for a cup for water at Chipotle, but then getting soda at
the fountain. You continue to meet more and more awesome people who you're
eager to see and hang out with the next time you travel up their way. Touring,
at its core, will forever be the same grind for all bands (unless you're AC/DC
or some shit), but it winds up becoming what you make of your time on the road.
If you want to strictly drive, do nothing, play the show, leave the show,
repeat- cool. You do you, you boring fuck. But if you want to drive overnight
so you can hit up a vegan brunch spot in the morning in the next city, find a cool
record store, play the show, light firecrackers outside somewhere, leave the
show, sneak into a motel pool- hell yeah! We should probably hang out.

TBFH: And finally, just to wrap things up, where can people
who enjoy your music purchase it? Thank you for your time.